If you’re looking for a brand new SUV for your teen driver, or a vehicle for yourself that your teenager can drive, you should consider what safety features come in your new ride. While many new cars and SUVs come with an assortment of important safety features, there are a few that you’ll want to make sure are in your vehicle. Here are the SUV safety features you really need for your teen, if you’re buying a new car, as well as some that you probably want.

These SUV safety features are important for your teen driver

When you’re buying a brand new SUV for your teen, safety features should be at the top of your list of priorities. Of course, buying a vehicle with great safety ratings is important. You can use this list by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports as a starting point to shop for either a new or a used SUV. If your budget allows for a new 2022 SUV, and you’ve selected a model, you should also be aware of the trim levels and safety features that your new SUV will come equipped with.

According to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), there are some safety features that you absolutely must have in your new SUV or car. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control are three vital safety features. These have all been required in new vehicles as of 2012, so if you’re buying a brand new SUV, you’ll be getting these three safety features.

Some important safety features aren’t required

There are other safety features that, while not required by law, are pretty important for teen drivers to have. One of these is forward collision warning. Forward collision warning (even better if it has front automatic emergency braking) monitors the path in front of your SUV via sensors. If it identifies a potential collision risk, it signals with an alarm. If you don’t do anything, it will automatically apply the brakes.

Blind-spot monitoring is another vital safety feature. Blind-spot monitoring, as its name suggests, identifies vehicles in your blind spot. It may issue a signal on your side mirror.

There are a range of other features you probably want to consider

While the above mentioned safety features are the most important, Kelley Blue Book notes that you’ll want to at least consider a variety of other safety features for your teen driver. These include air bags (at least six), outboard mirrors with turn-signal indicators, and a

Outboard mirrors that have turn-signals	Power driver’s seat
Tilt-and telescopic steering wheel	Automatic climate control
Automatic high beams	LED headlights
Adaptive cruise control	LED taillights
Hill-start assist	Automatic headlights
Head-up display	360-degree camera
Backup cameras are now required	Infotainment system that includes voice recognition

If you’re looking for a new SUV for your teen driver, you should make sure it has the most important safety features. If you can afford to buy a trim level or add on the other important features that make driving safer for your child, you should do so.